Concrete form



Aug. 27, 1940. 'r. c. DURLEY CONCRETE FORM Filed July 23-; 1938 2Sheets-Sheet l 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Tao/m4; cup/ ow zru T. C. DURLEYCONCRETE FORM Filed July 23, 1938 Patented Aug. 27, 1940 1 UNITED STATESPATENT oFFicE CONCRETE FORM Thomas Clifiord Durley, Esher, England,assignor to The Trussed Concrete Steel Company, Limited, Westminster,London, England, a British' joint-stock company Application July 23,1938, Serial No. 220,952

In Great Britain July 23, 1937 9 Claims.

. members or to hardened concrete, or both, so

that the shutters themselves or portions of them. are substantiallyfixed in space. Such an arrangement entails. disadvantages. If theshutters or portions of them are substantially incapable of movement,they are also incapable of transmitting an adequate amplitude of vibrawtion 'to the whole of the wet concrete with which they are in contact.On the other hand, if they are not rigidly fixed (when assembledaccording to the usual methods) loss of cement grout and inaccuracy ofalignment will result.

The object of the present invention is to provide a shutter panel or thelike which is capable of transmitting vibration to the whole of theconcrete with which it is in contact whilst maintaining accuratealignment of the Work, and at the same time will prevent leakage ofcement grout between adjacent shutters or between the shutters andexisting Work.

According to the present invention, a shutter panel is connected to anelastic or spring device which allows the shutter panel to have alimited and preferably adjustable amount of vibratory movement in adirection approximately at right angles to its own plane, the saiddevice at the same time holding the shutter rigidly against movementoutside the predetermined limits. In combination with the foregoingdevice, a flexible connection in the form of a strip of rubber or othersuitable material is provided between the shutter panel and an adjacentshutter panel or support, whether in the same plane or at an anglethereto, which connection seals the joint and positively preventsleakage of cement grout. The faces of the strip which are in contactwith the edges of the shutters are shaped to fit the latter by means ofcomplementary projections and recesses, so that the strip is keyed orjoggled to the edges of the shutters.

The invention is hereafter described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a sectional elevation of the elastic holding device in oneform of construction.

Fig. 2 is a sectional view showing a flexible connection between twoadjacent shutter panels.

Fig. 3 is a similar view showing a connection between-two shutter panelsin different planes.

(Cl. 25--13l) Fig. 4 is a plan view, partly in section, showing ashuttering system provided with the elastic holding devices and flexibleconnections of Figs. 1 and 2 respectively.

Fig. 5 is an elevation of the shuttering system shown in Fig. 4, as seenin section on the line A-A.

Fig. 6 is a diagram representing another form of flexible connection.

Fig. '7 is a similar diagram showing the connected shutter panels lyingat right angles to one another.

- Referring to Fig. 1, the elastic holding device comprises a sleeve (1which passes with a loose,

fit through a centrally apertured mounting plate I), the sleeve beingscrew-threaded externally for a portion of its length at each end. Oneach end of the sleeve there is screwed a nut or abutment 0 which isprovided with a boss or shoulder 11, around which is fitted an annulus eof resilient material, preferably rubber; springs of any suitable typemay be employed instead of rubber rings. Lock nuts f are provided to fixthe nuts 0 in their positions on the sleeve.

The mounting plate b may thus move relatively to the sleeve a, and itsdegree of movement is controlled according to the adjustable 'distancebetween the nuts 8.

The plate I) has other apertures a, through which it may be bolted orotherwise rigidly secured to a member or members of a shuttering system,and the sleeve a is rigidly connected by a bolt 12 passing through it toanother member of the shuttering system. For example, the plate b may besecured to one of the shutter panels and the sleeve a secured by meansof its connecting boltmto the fixed framing of the shuttering system. Bythis means, two members ofa shuttering system are connected together insuch a Way that they are free within predetermined but adjustable limitsto move relatively to one another; if one member is substantially fixedin space, the other member is free to take up a forced vibration ofcontrollable amplitude under the action of an out-of-balance rotorrigidly attached to it or of any other device of the known kind capableof inducing a forced vibration.

According to a further feature of the invention, a flexible connectionbetween a moving shutter panel and the adjacent shutter panel or panels(which latter may also be made free to vibrate within a limitedamplitude, or may be substantially fixed in space) consists of a stripof flexible material, preferably rubber, which is interposed betweenadjoining edges of adjacent shutter panels.

As an example, Fig. 2 shows a strip 71. having two wedge-shaped portionsand provided with opposed grooves 7', preferably with sloping sides 7'to permit of easy assembly and removal, and the edges of the shutters k:are provided with chamfers Z to fit into the sloping sides of thegrooves 7. If the shutter panels are made of metal, the edges may besuitably formed in the pressing or equivalent operation. The strip ispreferably moulded with a hole or holes m of circular or other section,running throughout its length, in order to increase its flexibilityunder the action of a shearing movement of one shutter is relatively tothe other.

The strip may be of any other suitable cross section, provided the edgesof the shutters are cut to complementary shapes, so that the pressure ofthe wet concrete will hold the sides of the strip against the edges ofthe shutters, and prevent separation under the action of the wetconcrete; for example, as shown in Fig. 6, the strip may be of X-shapein cross section, consisting of two sectors h h of a circle connectedtogether at the center of the circle. When the shutters to be joined bymeans of this flexible strip lie at an angle to one another differingfrom a right angle, for example at 135 as indicated at k M, Fig. 6, orare aligned with one another, one or both of the shutters may have theiredges splayed or chamfered to fit the gaps between the sectors h 71.Shutters which are joined at right angles by means of this flexiblestrip, as indicated at k is", Fig. 7, will require no special treatmentat their edges, the corners fitting into the gaps between the sectors h7L Where it is desired to make a flexible connection between two shutterpanels in different planes, as shown in Fig. 3, one of the shutters kmay be provided with a narrow panel or strip k rigidly connected theretoby screws or other means, this strip k being set angularly so as to bein the same plane as the other shutter It, so that a connection may bemade by a flexible strip h as above described.

Figs. 4 and 5 show an example of an assembled system of shuttering forcasting a concrete wall.

Two of the shutter panels is, between which concrete is to be poured,are connected together by bolts n which pass through spacers or distancepieces go between the panels, each bolt being also secured to the sleevea of an elastic holding device such as above described, the panels beingthereby rigidly connected to the sleeve. The bolts n may also passthrough stiffening members q which are rigidly attached to the shutterpanels In.

A vibrator v is shown mounted upon the panel k on the left hand side ofFig. 4.

The plates b of the elastic holding devices are free to move relativelyto the sleeves a, and are in turn rigidly connected by bolting orotherwise to framing members T which are substantially fixed in space byconnection to the ground or to existing hardened concrete in the lowerpart of the wall or otherwise. Between the vertical edges of the shutterpanels k and of the adjacent shutter panels 70 there are interposed theflexible strips h, such as already described.

Fig. 5 illustrates the manner in which the shutters k intended toprovide the formwork for casting concrete on top of existing hardenedconcrete s at the lower part of the wall, can be supported by fixedshutters k rigidly connected to the hardened concrete. Flexible strips hare interposed between the shutters k and the fixed shutters W.

The shutter panels It may be put into a state of vibration by connectinga suitable vibrating device (not shown) to either of them, that is tothe shutters adjacent to the framing T or to those on the other side ofthe wall; the floating connection between the shutter panels k and therigidly fixed framing members r restricts the amount of movement of thepanels and prevents them from losing their alignment, and the flexibleconnections h allow any one or if desired the whole of the shutterpanels In to move in vibration, Whilst preventing any leakage of cementgrout between these panels and the hardened concrete 3.

The connections h also allow of the erection and dismantling of any onepanel independently of adjacent panels.

What I claim is:

1. A flexible connection between panels of concrete shuttering,comprising a strip of rubber or equivalent material, adapted to be laidbetween adjacent shutter panels, the section of the strip consisting oftwo wedges connected together substantially in X-shape, the taperingfaces being held against the edges of the shutters by the pressure ofthe concrete in the casting operation.

2. In shuttering for concrete cast in situ, a connection betweenadjacent shutter panels, characterized by the fact that the connectionis formed by a strip of flexible material having its faces in contactwith the edges of the panels formed with recesses extending continuouslyand longitudinally of the strip, the cross-section of the edges of thepanels being complementary to that of said recesses.

3. In the art of casting concrete, the combination of a plurality ofmold panels, means for imparting forced vibration to one of said panels,means for controlling said vibration to a lim ited movement in adirection substantially perpendicular to the plane of the vibratingpanel, and flexible means for jointing the edges of said vibrating paneland other panels adjacent thereto.

4. In the art of casting concrete, the combination of a plurality ofmold panels, means for imparting forced vibration to one of said panels,means for controlling said vibration to a limited movement in adirection substantially perpendicular to the plane of the vibratingpanel, and flexible strips of molded rubber for jointing the adjacentedges of said panels, said strips and edges being formed withcomplementary projections and recesses adapted to key said strips tosaid edges.

5. In shuttering for use with vibrators for the consolidation ofconcrete cast in situ, a shutter panel adapted for connection to avibrator, elastic means for connecting edges of the shutter panel toadjacent parts of the shuttering, and an elastic device connected to theshutter panel, the said device having a limited and preferablyadjustable range of vibratory movement in a direction at right angles tothe plane of the shutter panel.

6. In shuttering for use with vibrators for the consolidation ofconcrete cast in situ, a shutter panel adapted for connection to avibrator, a member substantially fixed relatively to the ground, and anelastic device connected to the shutter panel, the said devicecomprising an apertured mounting member, a sleeve movable longitudinallywithin the aperture of the mounting member, abutments screwed upon theends of the sleeve, annular members of rubber or like resilient materialengaged between the mounting member and the abutments, and a boltpassing through the sleeve, the mounting member and bolt being adaptedto be connected to the substantially fixed member and to the shutterpanel respectively.

7. In shuttering for concrete cast in situ, the combination of a shutterpanel, a member substantially fixed relatively to the ground, flexiblemeans for connecting edges of said shutter panel to adjacent parts ofthe shuttering, a vibrator connected to said shutter panel, and anelastic device with limited range of movement connected between saidshutter panel and said substantially fixed member, operation of saidvibrator causing said shutter panel to vibrate as a whole in a.direction perpendicular to the plane of said shutterpanel, and saidelastic device acting to limit the vibration of said shutter panel 8. Inthe art of casting concrete, the combination of a plurality of moldpanels, a member substantially fixed relatively to the ground, avibrator connected to one of said mold panels, an elastic device withadjustable range of movement connected between said substantially fixedmember and said one mold panel, and flexible means for jointing theedges of said one mold panel to the edges of adjacent mold panels.

9' In the art of casting concrete, the combination of a plurality ofmold panels, a member substantially fixed relatively to the ground, avibrator connected to one of said mold panels, an elastic device withadjustable range of movement connected between said substantially fixedmember and said one mold panel, and flexible strips of molded rubber forjointing the edges of said one'mold panel to the edges of adjacentpanels, said strips and edges being of complementary cross-sections.

THOMAS CLIFFORD DURLEY.

